Electric liquid and gas heater



Feb. 26 1924.

l. E. ASKE ELECTRIC LIQUID AND GAS HEATER Filed Dec. 21. 1920 lNVENTOR Wit 14AM ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES IRVING E. ASKE, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

ELECTRIC LIQUID AND GAS HEATER.

Application filed. December 21, 1920.

To a2] whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRVING E. AsKE, a-

citizen of the United States, residing at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Liquid and Gas Heaters, of which I do declare the following to be a specification.

My invention relates to liquid and gas heaters or fuel vaporizers for hydrocarbon fuels, and has for its object the provision of an improved atomizing and preheating device for vaporizing such fuel during its passage from acarburetor to an explosive engine. Hcretofore there has often been considerable difficulty in starting automo biles in which the engine cylinders and the hydrocarbon fuel have become chilled during inactivity in cold weather, said fuel then failing to vaporize and mix with air in such manner as to promptly produce an effective charge. I am aware of several prior attempts to produce an efficient, satisfactory and economical vaporizer for such purposes, and of various patents therefore, which structures are designed to employ electric heating elements comprising a heating screen, but which call for conductors of high resistance in such screens, which high resistance conductors result in many objectionable conditions both in manufacture and use. One object of my invention is to provide an improved vaporizer for the purposes aforesaid.

My invention consists of the constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Fig. l, is a side elevation of a carburetor and ofa portion of the engine intake lead pipe, and of my invention positioned therein. Fig. 2, is an interior front elevation of a gasket plate or ring of insulating material. Fig. 3, is a central vertical longitudinal section through said Fig. 2. Fig. 4, is a front elevation of an electric heating element. Fig. 5, is a side elevation of said heating element. Fig. 6, is an interior front elevation of said gasket plate or ring, with said heating element positioned therein. Fig. 7, is a ront elevation of a frame upon which said heating element is wound or mounted. Fig. 8, is an end view of said frame. Fig. 9, is a side elevation, partly in central vertical longitudinal section of both of the hereinafter Serial No. 432,345.

described gasket plates or rings in operative position with respect to each other and with respect to said heating element in operative position between them. Fig. 10, is a front elevation of said electric heating element, showing cement filling in the space around those portions of the hereinafter described wires and screens extending from the periphery of the central aperture of said frame to the periphery of said frame.

In the drawings, 1, is a gasket plate or ring preferably of insulating material, having an aperture 1 formed therein for the passage of fuel therethrough; said aperture is preferably countersunk as at 1 to form a frame for the hereinafter described heating element. There are two of such gasket rings, 1 and 2 respectively, as shown in Fig. 9, but since they are substantially alike only one will be particularly described.

In said drawings, 3 is a frame of noncombustible material, preferably metal, upon which is wound in any suitable manner, an electric heating element comprising two fine wire screens 4.- and 5 spaced from each other and electrically connected in parallel in any suitable manner or by any suitable means with a source of electricity, not shown, preferably a battery. The wires of one screen are wound at approximate right angles to the wires of the other screen so as to preferably producea heating element of approximate checkerboard design, with a view to very finely dividing the fuel as it passes through the element and bringing all of it into contact with, or very near to the heated wires. It will be observed especially that each screen has a double wall, which walls are spaced from each other and from the walls of the other screen; thus there are three heated spaces or chambers betweenv the front wall of the outer screen and the rear wall of the outer screen, in which spaces the currents of fuel and air may mingle with very material benefit to the vaporizing and mixing operation. The terminals of the two screens are connected in any suitable manner in parallel with such source of electricity, being preferably brought together in passages 1 and 1 respectively, in said gasket rings, and thereconnected by soldering to binding posts 7 and 8 common to both of said screens. Said screens are preferably wound upon said frame 3, which is preferably thicker at its ends than at. its sides, and is adapted to he laid in the countersunk recess of each of said gasket rings, so as to lie half in one of said rings and half in the other, and so that said screens will extend across the fuel passage from said carburetor to said intake manifold. But it is not material whether said frame lie halt in one ring and half in the other, or wholly in one ring. The gasket, comprising said gasket rings with the included heatingelen'ient. is preferably inserte in the pipe line 9 between the carburetor and the engine cylinder (not shown).

In the preferred term (it my in ention. I till the spaces around those portions ot the screens and screen-wires between the periplr cry of the aperture in said Frame 3. and the periphery of the frame 3 wi h any suitable cement, as vitreous enamel it). as shown in Fig. 10, whereby fluid is prerented from temporarily collecting in such spaces. This feature is an important one. since without such filling moisture sometimes collects, ten! porarily, in such spaces and is later lilown out. into the cylinder, the mixture being. therefore, too lean at some periods and too rich at others.

In operation, the chilled air and gasoline or other liquid, or part liquid and part gas. fuel passes through the heated screens and chambers and the liquid portion is atomized and vaporized and thoroughly mixed with the air. The wire used tor the screens may he of eon'iparati ely low resistance. and is preferably so fine as to sharply cut the liquid drawn against it instead of constituting a blunt obstacle. The preferred method of winding around the outside of said frame, permits the economical use of winding machines and obviates the need of manual winding. and the arrangement of the screens provides heated interscreen chambers, and the device is prompt in producing the desired result.

lVhat I claim is 1. The combination of a frame having an aperture extending therethrough, of a screen comprising a wire wound from end to end upon said frame, a second screen comprising a wire wound from side to side upon said trame, said screens extending across said aperture. said wires being adapted to be connected in paralle to a source oi electricity, and cement filling in the spaces around those portions of the screens and screen-wires between the periphery oi said aperture and the periphery of said screen.

The combination of a Frame having an aperture theretlnough. of a screen comprising a wire wound from end to end upon said frame, and extending across said aperture, said wire being adapted to be connected to a source of electricity. and cement lilling in the spaces around. th se portions of. the screen between the periphery oi said apeture and the peripheia. oi said trame.

3. The combination e a frame tl its ends than it. is intermediate oi 3 and having an aperture extending therethrough, oi a screen comprising a wire wound upon said traine. a second screcn com prising a wire wound upon said Frame. said wires being adapted to be connected to a source of electricity. said .ns extending across said aperture, and cement tillingi around those portions oi said screens between the periphery o'l said aperture and the. periphery of said frame.

4. The combination with a liquid or gas conductor. (it an electric heating OlQUPDl e)?- tending across the path of the liquid or gas througjgh said conductor, said element ineluding a frame having an aperture therethrough. a screen comprising a wire wound around said frame and extending across said aperture, and a filling of refractory material in the spaces and around those portions of said screen between the periphery of said aperture and the periphery oi said frame.

In testimony whereof. I hereunto atlix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

IRVING ASKE.

Vitnesses FRANK SUTHERLANI). LANE J. Honeim. 

